Drive the strategic growth and operational delivery of the Water, Environment and Climate (WEC) portfolio by identifying partnership opportunities, leading proposal development, and guiding project operationalization.
This is a home-based assignment. The selected candidate is required to make the necessary arrangements, to standards deemed acceptable by UNOPS, for secure internet connectivity, a laptop, and any other equipment required to perform the assignment.
The selected candidate must also have the legal right to work in the country from which they will be based throughout the duration of the contract.
This position is offered under a retainer contract modality. The incumbent will be engaged on an as-needed basis, depending on operational requirements, for up to a maximum of 120 working days over a 12-month period. Assignments will be communicated in advance by UNOPS authorized personnel/supervisor before any engagement. A retainer contract is issued for intermittent services and does not guarantee a minimum number of working hours or days. Payment is made only upon the completion of work and submission of a Certificate of Payment (CoP).
The role of the Advisor, Portfolio Management for WEC is a home-based, retainer role. Under the guidance and supervision of the Head of WEC Portfolio, and in close collaboration with the WEC Portfolio Management Team, the Advisor, Portfolio Management will support WEC’s portfolio delivery performance and growth ambitions. The incumbent translates evolving climate action trends and partner needs into practical operational approaches, identifying synergies, replicable models, and new service lines to ensure WEC’s growth aligns with UNOPS, GPO, and WEC strategic objectives.
The Advisor, Portfolio Management is responsible for four key functional areas:
Strategic Portfolio Development and Positioning
Concept Note and Proposal Development
Project Set-up and Operationalization
Knowledge Management and Capacity Building
Strategic Portfolio Development and Positioning:
Evaluate global climate finance, policy, and programming trends to identify business growth opportunities and strategic partnership avenues.
Translate analytical insights into practical operational approaches, value propositions, and innovative service offerings for partner countries, cities, donors, and multilateral funds.
Articulate WEC’s value proposition and strategic positioning within the broader climate action and environmental landscape.
Support active promotion of WEC’s grant management, fund support, and implementation services to existing and prospective donors and partners.
Concept Note and Proposal Development:
Identify and pursue high-potential opportunities with new and existing partners, leveraging WEC’s existing portfolio, partnerships, and track record.
Lead and support the development of compelling, high-quality concept notes and proposals aligned with UNOPS, GPO and WEC strategic objectives.
Ensure proposals adhere to UNOPS policy frameworks and standards while maintaining high feasibility, sustainability and operational standards.
Collaborate across WEC and GPO portfolio and project teams to mobilize relevant technical expertise during project design.
Project Set-up and Operationalization:
Guide project teams through the formal setup and initiation phase in full adherence to UNOPS operational policies and procedures.
Provide advisory support on project setup, including governance structures, recruitment strategies, and procurement processes to ensure transparency and fairness.
Support the development of implementation tools, including detailed work plans, budgets, risk logs, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks.
Assist in establishing strong working relationships with partners, donors, host governments, and key stakeholders to facilitate smooth implementation.
Knowledge Management and Capacity Building:
Extract lessons learned, data, and insights from existing projects to identify cross-portfolio synergies and opportunities for scaling and replication.
Contribute to continuous improvement by capturing operational feedback to refine UNOPS tools, guidelines, and corporate frameworks.
Develop knowledge products and deliver advisory sessions/trainings to strengthen capacity across WEC portfolio teams.
Connect project teams with broader UNOPS organizational networks, publications, and external climate sector best practices.